Internal combustion engines usually have a torsional vibration damper, referred to below as torsional vibration damper, at a free end of a drive shaft in the form of a crank shaft. The torsional damper serves to reduce undesired torsional vibrations of the drive shaft. Failure of the torsional damper can lead to destruction of the drive shaft. Torsional dampers therefore serve to pick up torsional vibration energy of the drive train and therefore of the drive shaft. Owing to continuous stressing of the torsional damper, faults can occur which can adversely affect the damping behavior of the torsional damper. The specified faults can occur either abruptly or gradually during the service life of the torsional damper.